Bookbinding machinery.



No. 679,40l. Patented July. 30, NM.

J. E. SMYTH. BOOKB INDING MACHINERY.

(Application filed. Sept. 6, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

("0 Model.)

No. 679,40l. Patented July 30, 1am. J. E. 'SMYTH.

BOUKBINDING MACHINERY.

(Application filed Sept. 6, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH E. SMYTH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NETTIE E. SMYTH, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOKBINDING MACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 679,401, dated July 30, 1901.

Application filed September 6, 1900. Serial No. 29,183. (No model.)

To (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. SMYTH, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bookbinding Machinery, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying d rawings, is a specification.

My invention has for its object the provision of a machine for separating sheets of paper and inserting them one within the other for the formation of the different parts of a book or for like purposes.

In carrying out my invention I provide, first, means for holding a pile of sheets in substantially vertical position, the means preferred being an inclined box or table similar to that heretofore used for such purpose, having the sheets resting therein in a vertical position,with a weight bearing against the back sheets and tending to advance them toward the forward portion of the machine. The machine would naturally comprise a large number of such boxes arranged in a row. I next provide a series of devices in the forward portion of the machine, against which the front part of each pile of sheets is adapted to bear in order to hold the sheets in position in the pile. I next provide another set of devices for separating the edge of the first sheet from the balance of the sheets in the pile and combine with this a third series of devices for the purpose of retaining the remaining sheets after the first sheet has been separated, the whole being arranged with suitable mechanism for actuating the several sets of devices in a manner which will hereinafter be more particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, showing a machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a partial view of the same, showing the parts in the position where the edge of the first sheet has been separated from the rest. Fig. 3 is a view in which the mechanism has been actuated to allow the sheet to be dropped into the receptacle provided for it. Fig. lis afront elevation showing a portion of the machine with two of the boxes for holding the sheets and the rest of the mechanism adjacent thereto.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1-, it will be seen that I provide, first, a frame or support 1, upon which is arranged a series of boxes or receptacles 2 for holding a pile of sheets 3, against the back of which there presses a weightet, designed to hold the sheets in forward position, as is common in mechanism of this class heretofore used in the art. At the front of the pile of sheets I arrange devices for holding the sheets in position in the pile, comprising a lever device 5, to which is secured a cross-bar 5 To the lower end of the lever device 5 at the point 6 is pivoted another lever 7, containing a sucker 8 or pneumatic appliance for taking hold of the first sheet and bending the edge of it away from the rest of the sheets of the pile. The sucker or lever 7 is so arranged that when a pull is exerted upon the cord 9 it will move outwardly,drawing the first sheet or the lower edge thereof until it cannot move farther because of the stop or shoulder 10 upon the lower end of the lever 5, after which further pull upon the cord 9 tends to draw outwardly the lever 5, itself rotating about the pivot 11, thus relieving the pressure from the forward part or side of the outer or first sheet and allowing it to fall into the receptacle provided below, as shown in Fig. 3. As a means for securing the desired movement of the cord 9 I have shown a cam 12; but other mechanism for accomplishing this result could be employed, if desired.

When the lever 5 is drawn out of contact with the pile of sheets, it is of course necessary to provide some mechanism for retaining the pile in place during the time that the first sheet is being dropped into the receptacle, and for the purpose of accomplishing this result I provide another lever or plate 13, pivotally mounted upon the pin 14: and actuated by means of the cam 15 in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the time of movement of the lever 13 being so arranged that when the sucker 8 is swung outwardly, pulling out the lower edge of the sheet, as shown in Fig. 2, the lever 13 is thrown up into position to bear against the balance of the sheets in the pile and hold them from falling out of the box in which they are supported.

From the above it will be seen that by means of a single actuating device or cord 9 I am able to operate both the lever 7, which is attached to the sucker 8, and also the lever 5, thus doing away with an additional set of mechanism for accomplishing the actuation of the lever 5, such as might be required in case other devices Were used in this connection.

Another feature of my invention relates to the novel V-shaped receptacle which I have provided for receiving the sheets which it is desired to insert one within another and the arrangement of the mechanism cooperating therewith for advancing the sheets progressively in the said receptacle. This, as shown on the drawings, comprises, essentially, a V-shaped groove 15 and a series of pusherfingers 16, mounted upon achain 17, arranged as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the receptacle being made of V shape in order to permit the first sheet as it drops into it to open out, as shownin Fig. 3 at 18, so that the second sheet, as shown at 19, may fall into the first one without danger of their being misplaced.

The operation of my invention is as follows: A pile of sheets having been placed in the box 2 with the weight or follower 4 bearing against them,the machine is started. The sucker 8 first attaches itself to the first sheet of the pile and draws the edge of the sheet outwardly, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, the bar 5 retaining the sheets in position during this movement. After it has reached a point where it cannot turn farther because of the projection 10 the lever 5 is carried along with the lever 7and both of them are brought to the position shown in Fig. 3, during which time the lever 13 is thrown up in order to hold the balance of the sheets in place, While the sheet that has been separated will fall,

as shown in Fig. 3, into the V-shaped recep- 1. A machine forinserting sheets, com pris-v ing means for supporting a pile of sheets in substantially vertical position, movable devices for holding said sheets in position in the pile, movable devices for separating the edge 'of the first sheet, movable devices constructed to enter between the separated sheets and the remaining sheets for retaining the remaining sheets after the first sheet has been separated, and mechanism for actuating said retaining, separating, and holding devices, substantially as described.

2. A machine for inserting sheets, comprising means for supporting a pile of sheets in substantially vertical position, movable devices for holding said sheets in position in the pile, movable devices for separating the the edge of the first sheet, movable devices constructed to enter between the separated sheets and the remaining sheets for retaining the remaining sheets after the first sheet has been separated, mechanism for actuating said retaining devices and other mechanism for actuating said separating and holding devices common to both of the latter, substantially as described.

3. A machine for inserting sheets, &c.,comprising means for supporting a pile of sheets in substantially vertical position, devices for holding said sheets in position in the pile consisting substantially of a lever pivoted at its upper end, devices for separating the edge of the first sheet comprising substantially a separating-lever pivoted at the lower end of the first-mentioned lever, devices for retaining the remaining sheets after the first sheet has been separated, and mechanism for actuating said retaining, separating, and holding devices, substantially as described.

4. An inserting or other like machine provided with a V-shaped receptacle constructed to receive sheets which it is desired to insert one within the other, the sides of the said V- shaped receptacle being inclined on opposite sides of the vertical at angles sufficient to permit the sheets to open when dropped, and mechanism substantially as described for moving the said sheets progressively in the said receptacle, substantially as specified.

5. In a machine for separating sheets of paper from a pile, the combination of mechanism for separating the edge of the first sheet and mechanism for holding the sheets while the edge of the first sheet is being separated, and a single actuating device for op erating both of said mechanisms, said device directly operating the separating mechanism and through the separating mechanism operating the holding mechanism to release the sheet, substantially as described.

JOSEPH E. SMYTH. In presence of- PAUL SYNNESTVEDT, PAUL CARPENTER. 

